The fastening of flat items such as skis to the roof of an automobile requires a fastener or mount which can be tightened sufficiently to prevent the skis from slipping. When a ski mount is used to hold several skis side by side, or to hold different skis varying in thickness, tightening is particularly critical and difficult to achieve. Existing ski mounts suffer the further disadvantage of latches which require the upper half of the mount to be pressed down further than its final position in order to engage the latch. Disengagement and opening of the mount is also a problem when the upper half must be pressed down again before the latch can be released. This often requires two hands and considerable force, as well as the manipulation of small latch parts which is difficult in cold surroundings, particularly when the user is wearing gloves.
The present invention resides in a ski mount closure which is readily closed with one hand by merely lowering the upper half into position, and readily opened with one hand by merely pushing a button, and which permits tightening over a range of ski thicknesses. The closure operates by simple insertion of a harpoon to variable depths into a catch, the harpoon being readily releasable from the catch at any depth of insertion by manual pressure on the button. The closure further involves an unusually efficient arrangement of parts whereby no pivoting bolts or retaining screws are required, and a single spring clip serves several functions, including holding the catch in place in the ski mount, forcing the catch into a closed or locked position until manually released by pressure on the button, and guiding the travel of the harpoon.
In accordance with the invention, the upper or movable bar (or "top wing") of the ski mount terminates in an end cap, and an insert fits into an opening in the end cap, the insert containing both the release button which protrudes through the end cap opening and a pawl which extends into the end cap interior and forms part of the catch mechanism. The insert and end cap are joined through mated fixtures on the surfaces of each. These fixtures are protrusions and/or indentations which position the insert in the end cap in a manner which permits the insert to be rotated, thereby bringing the pawl into and out of engagement with the harpoon. The harpoon is a post extending upward from the lower or stationary bar (or "bottom wing") of the mount, with a row of teeth on one side. As the upper bar of the mount is pressed down over the lower bar, the harpoon enters the end cap through an opening in the lower side of the end cap, and the pawl in the end cap interior travels down over the teeth of the harpoon, engaging the teeth in the manner of a ratchet. By pressing further downward on the upper bar, the user forces the pawl further down the harpoon to engage teeth at lower positions on the harpoon, releasable only by rotation of the pawl away from the harpoon.
The spring clip engages all three elements--the end cap, the insert and the harpoon--and serves three functions simultaneously: (1) it holds the mated fixtures on the insert and end cap together; (2) it controls the rotation of the insert in the end cap, thereby urging or biasing the pawl toward a position at which it will engage the teeth on the harpoon when the bars of the mount are closed; and (3) it supports or immobilizes the harpoon to strengthen the engagement of the harpoon teeth with the pawl.
Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description which follows.